eorcnanstan

Old English

Alternative forms

earcnanstān, eorcanstān, eorclanstān

Etymology

Compound of eorcnan (“special, noble”) +‎ stān (“stone”). Cognate with Old Norse jarknasteinn, which is generally regarded as a loan from Old English. Translates margarita in 9th century biblical glosses but is used generically as "precious stone, gem" in Beowulf (line 1208) and The Ruin (v. 36).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈe͜ork.nɑnˌstɑːn/, [ˈe͜orˠk.nɑnˌstɑːn]

Noun

eorcnanstān m

precious stone, pearl

Declension

Strong a-stem:

	singular	plural
nominative	eorcnanstān	eorcnanstānas
accusative	eorcnanstān	eorcnanstānas
genitive	eorcnanstānes	eorcnanstāna
dative	eorcnanstāne	eorcnanstānum

Descendants

→ English: arkenstone (Tolkien)

References

Peter Kitson, 'Lapidary traditions in Anglo-Saxon England: part I, the background; the Old English Lapidary' in: Anglo-Saxon England, vol. 7, eds. Martin Biddle, Julian Brown, Peter Clemoes, Cambridge University Press, 2007, →ISBN, 9-60 (fn. 5 p. 25).